Murder jury shown bloody face photo

Murder jury shown bloody face photo

A PHOTO of the "caved-in face" of a Townsville grandmother was shown in court as the prosecution closed its case in the trial of her alleged murderer.

James Ray Samuel Mabo has pleaded not guilty to murdering Deeragun grandmother Rosemary Russo in her home on or about December 8, 2016.

Mabo, who was 19 at the time of the offence, is on trial in Townsville Supreme Court.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Walklate showed the jury pictures of Ms Russo's bloodied and "caved-in face", as well as the Broncos singlet worn by Mabo the night of her death, which had more than 150 bloodstains on it.

Mr Walklate asked the jurors to "freeze the moment in time" and ask themselves if Mabo meant to cause serious harm to the woman.

"He knew the old lady who lived there, he knew who she was, he chose to break into her house, chose to kick the door in, and attacked the person who confronted him," he said.

"He armed himself with a piece of wood and made a decision to strike her with severe force. It was his choice to land multiple blows on her."

Mr Walklate said Mabo had told multiple lies to "distance" himself from what he'd done and said his admission to an undercover cop after he had been arrested following his police interview, about not meaning to kill Ms Russo, was to not make himself seem as bad.

Mr Walklate also pointed to Mabo's palm print being found in Ms Russo's blood in her home, as well as her blood being located underneath his fingernails.

In his closing address, defence barrister Scott Geeves told the jury to disregard any potential prejudices they may have about young indigenous men.

"The colour of his skin means nothing in this trial," he said.

Mr Geeves said his client was incredibly intoxicated when he killed Ms Russo.

"The attack happened in a matter of seconds … was spontaneous, it was drunken and it was non-thinking behaviour.

"Mindless violence that this was."

Mr Geeves said the jury should not make the assumption that Mabo is guilty because of lies he told to police.